Five swimmers represent IR at state championship

What began as a fun winter alternative has grown into a golden opportunity for five Indian River athletes, who posted qualifying times to the boys’ state preliminary swimming championships this past Wednesday, in the school’s first year offering the sport.

Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Indian River's swim team produced five state qualifiers in its debut year. They took the plunge this Wednesday evening at the University of Delaware. Pictured from left to right are Andrew Kleinstuber, Patrick Ruhl, Kees Elling, Mac Gray and Jung
Jung Son, who leads the team with the most swimming experience at the competitive level, has focused on the breaststroke and the 200-yard medley and freestyle competitions this year. He was joined at the University of Delaware for states this past Wednesday, Feb. 24, (after Coastal Point press deadline), by fellow Indian River swimmers Mac Gray, Kees Elling, Andrew Kleinstuber and Patrick Ruhl.

“It’s been an interesting and exciting season,” said Son, who first developed his technique through Sea Colony’s Sharks junior swimming program. “When I was younger, I wanted to be able to swim once I got to high school, and now I can. The team has come a long way this year. We don’t have as many kids on the team as a lot of the schools, so we’ve really been able to work closely with our coaches and practice our quality.”

Head Coach Donna Smith and Assistant Coach Colin Crandel provided their time to help both the boys and girls teams make history at Indian River High School this year.

“The kids came to us with the determination,” said Smith. “They’re all fast learners and strong swimmers, and all these things combined help get these guys where they are now. We have young freshmen coming up, too, which will add to the team.”

Elling, who was the first on the team to qualify for states in a mid-January meet at Milford, is looking to finish the 50-yard freestyle in even shorter time.

“I swam it in 25.33 [seconds] at Milford,” he noted, “but I’m shooting for 23.5 [seconds] at states. I’d also like to make it into the top 16.”

For the first-year competitive swimmer, the new season has opened a number of doors.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” said Elling. “I’m always trying to improve, and I’m aiming to be a strong all-around swimmer.”

The freshman plans to continue a swimming regimen through the spring and summer seasons, including practice at Sea Colony’s indoor pool.

Swimming was the second of three new varsity sports added to Indian River’s athletic department this year, along with cross-country and track-and-field.

Junior Patrick Ruhl has been set on shaving seconds off his time in the breaststroke competitions, and, as he noted, growing up by the beach has granted him great opportunities in the realm of swimming, despite not competing in the sport prior to this year.

“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “Take-offs were tough at first, but everything starts working out. I’ve always done a lot of swimming and surfing, so a lot of it comes natural.”

Juniors Gray and Kleinstuber have credited their background as lifeguards in their success on IR’s swim team. The two also maintained their physiques thanks to the school’s soccer program in the fall.

“We’ve really been able to focus on our styles,” said Kleinstuber, who has geared his events around the backstroke. “I’m really looking forward to competing at states.”

“The first meet was kind of crazy,” said Gray, whose freestyle swim in the 50- and 100-yard individual events and relays have improved since the season’s start, “but after you get in the pool, it’s fine. You can’t hear anything else. You can just tune it all out.”

Gray said he never imagined that going out for a new team would yield the progress and recognition it has earned him so far.

“I saw swimming as a secondary sport,” he said. “Soccer was always a first priority, but I learned that swimming is a lot of fun, too. The coaches have been great, and it’s really cool to see what we’ve done in our first year.”

The winter weather forced the team to call the season short by two meets – a factor that Smith believes played heavily in the absence of Indian River’s female swimmers at the state competition.

“We had some girls who were really close to the qualifying times,” said Smith, “and if they just had the chance to get a little stronger at those meets, I think we would have seen some girls going to states, too. The whole team has been really enthusiastic, and now, youth swimming programs have a direction to head in.”

Son added that the success of this year’s team will likely yield more participation by next season.

“I think seeing what we’ve done this year will encourage more students to come out for the team next year,” he said. “Swimming is a lot of fun and competitive.”